17
the north. Having reached this wind, they bore down for Valparaiso, with the view of disposing of the ship and cargo, and of dividing their spoil. Off Valparaiso lay a strong Spanish fleet, bloekading the port; but of this eireumstanee our adventurers were not aware, neither did they entertain the slighest suspieion that an obstaele of so formidable a nature was at all likely to oppose itself to the completion of an adventure already nearly erowned with sueeess. At nightfall, previous to the morning when they expeeted to reaeh Valparaiso, they were not suffieiently near that eity to distinguish the fleet that lay in the offing; so the wind being favourable, they skimmed over the waves with hearts bounding in tho pride of being the undisputed masters of so gallant a ship and all she eontained, little dreading the danger into whieh they were about to fall. On they went, however, and a dense fog eoming on at day dawn, they sailed through the very thiekest of the Spanish fleet, not only without either seeing or being seen by a single ship), but without even suffering that annoyance which is produeed by a consciousness of being in a situation of extreme danger, and, before the fog cleared away, they lay safely moored below the fort of Valparaiso-so true does it seem to be that "fortune favours the brave!"
On tho morning, they reeeived the congratulations of the governor of the eity, by whom tho Minerva was deelared a lawful prize, and all Valparaiso resounded with the praises of her eaptors heroism.
The vessel and her eargo turned out a prize of great value, and the English tars soon found themselves in the possession of what appeared to them inexhaustible riehes. They would not have been
